The Social Security Disability system in the United States is very complicated. Whether you are a recently disabled father trying to provide for your family, a single mother who can no longer work because of an illness, or the parent of a child who needs extra help because of a challenging condition, obtaining benefits is not easy. The “system” involves a complex set of rules and requirements that make it very hard for the average person to successfully receive payments.

There is hope, however, and we appreciate you looking for help here. Our law firm provides unique benefits to clients just like you, which include:

  • A singular focus on representing the injured and disabled.
  • Having all important work performed by an experienced disability attorney.
  • A guarantee that you pay no fees unless you obtain social security disability benefits.
  • A proven track record of success in both routine and difficult cases.

Regardless of whether you are considering filing for benefits for the first time, or have been denied numerous times in the past, please call our office at (404) 255-9838. We will discuss your options free of charge, and help you make an informed decision about what to do next. We look forward to talking with you.

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While there are ways to manage the physical symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, including the chronic pain, not as easy is the task of diagnosing and managing the mental conditions that are often associated with rheumatoid arthritis.

According to one study that was published in Rheumatology and Therapy, as many as 30% of people who have a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis go on to suffer from depression within five years after the diagnosis. A chronic condition like rheumatoid arthritis means chronic pain, inconvenience, and that in turn, can prevent an individual from performing many of the activities that he or she used to perform earlier.

If you enjoyed an active life earlier, you may find it much more difficult to adjust to the limited mobility and movement brought on by rheumatoid arthritis.  Active people may find it difficult to get used to the fact that they may no longer be able to participate in sports or enjoy the kind of physical or recreational activities that they used to earlier. For obvious reasons, that lack of physical mobility leads to low self-esteem, irritability, and even depression.

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Matt Bevin, Governor of Kentucky, announced his plans to require all Kentucky residents who receive Medicaid to meet work requirements.  Following that decision, the ACLU filed a constitutional law suit.  However, shortly after the Governor’s announcements, a federal judge struck the regulations down, stating that they were “arbitrary and capricious”.

This issue is very important to many Americans.  In April 2018, 67.3 million people  were covered by Medicaid—making it the single largest source of health coverage in the United States. Mandatory eligibility groups for Medicaid  include low-income families, qualified pregnant woman and children, and individuals receiving Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

In Georgia, the basic eligibility criteria for Medicaid requires you to be living in a low-income household. This varies based on the number of people in a household and whether the household includes medically needy parents and children under age 19. The 2018 chart breaking down the maximum income level to be eligible for Medicaid can be found here.     In addition to meeting the financial limits, applicants in Georgia must also meet one of the following descriptions in order to be eligible for Medicaid:

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POTS disease is a condition that is believed to affect as many as half a million Americans. People who suffer from this condition may experience an increase in the heart rate by as much as 30 or more heart beats per minute without any additional exertion. This increase in heart rate may or may not be accompanied by a change in blood pressure. Most sufferers tend to be women below the age of 35.

What makes this disease even more challenging to treat is that very often symptoms begin much before the disease is even diagnosed. Many of the symptoms that are associated with POTS disease are the kinds that are also associated with chronic fatigue, and other types of conditions. For instance, fatigue, excessive sweating, and shortness of breath are symptoms associated with POTS disease that are also linked to other conditions.  This can make a diagnosis even more challenging.

POTS disease is not necessarily a life-threatening condition. However, it can be life altering for sufferers. Symptoms associated with POTS disease can impact the person’s ability to lead a normal and productive life. These symptoms include lightheadedness, fainting spells, nausea, increased and accelerated heartbeat while standing, and lowered blood pressure while standing.

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Patients who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis may suffer from an acceleration of their symptoms if they put on an excessive amount of weight or lose too many pounds.

According to new research, obesity and low weight both have an adverse impact on symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers focused on obesity and its crippling effects on the already very painful symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Interestingly enough, they found that severe weight loss also worsened symptoms.

According to the researchers, very often, doctors may mistakenly attribute worsening of the symptoms to the actual arthritic condition, and not to the patient’s weight. The researchers are calling on doctors to look out for severe weight loss or weight gain when they treat symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

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POTS disease is a lesser-known disease that affects as many as 500,000 Americans. POTS disease and several other conditions are clustered under the blanket term dysautonomia, a group of disorders that result in a malfunctioning of the Autonomic Nervous System.  Lack of awareness of this condition means that the first time most patients learn of this disease is when they are diagnosed with it.

Here are some facts about POTS disease.

Dysautonomia is a group of disorders that result in a malfunctioning of the Autonomic Nervous System This is the system that is responsible for regulating and controlling several functions of the body, including heartbeat, blood pressure, bowel and bladder function, and dilation of pupils. A person who suffers from a malfunction in the autonomic nervous system may suffer from a malfunctioning or disruption in one or several of these body functions, which can result in a number of symptoms. Symptoms of the different forms of dysautonomia  can include dizziness, fainting, fluctuations in blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia. In serious cases, symptoms can also result in death.

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The Congressional Budget Office projects that recent tax cut legislation and spending packages will increase the federal deficit by $139 billion, raising it to $804 billion in 2018.  In December Congress passed a 1.5 trillion tax-cut package and early in 2018 approved a $400 billion budget.   The CBO projects the US will return to a trillion dollar deficit by next year.  Last week Congress submitted a plan to make up the difference with cuts to Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security.  The above slides were obtained by the Congressional Budget Office.  You can find these slides and more on their website.

Last Tuesday, House Republicans released a budget plan that would make large cuts to Medicare.   The budget plan intends to privatize Medicare ; thereby hoping to eliminate $537 billion out of the program over the next decade.  Congress argues that privatization of Medicare will bring down costs.

Seniors eligible for Medicare would receive a voucher rather than a Medicare card.  The voucher would be used to purchase private health care plans.  Private plans could be more expensive – leaving seniors to either foot the extra bill or change to plans that provided less care or limited the available providers.  Either way, the cost-shifting is born by the seniors.

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New techniques in the treatment of schizophrenia center on a very unlikely technology- virtual reality.  Studies into the use of virtual reality treatment for the treatment of schizophrenia are yielding promising results.

According to clinical psychologists, who are currently experimenting with the use of virtual reality to treat different forms of psychosis like schizophrenia, this is a very safe method to use in patients who suffer from psychosis. Patients do not report worsening of symptoms, like hallucinations and delusions, and there is no adverse data, like an increase in hospital admission numbers, associated with the use of virtual reality therapy.

Doctors have been using virtual reality techniques on patients, especially those who have suffered from the condition for a long time.  In one study, patients engaged in cognitive training in which they were required to make their way through a seascape, avoiding dangers, like sharks in the water. The researchers found that patients who underwent such treatment actually showed higher overall cognitive scores compared to patients who received typical treatment at a facility.

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Children born to mothers who suffer from rheumatoid arthritis may have a much higher risk of suffering from chronic diseases. That information comes from a new study which found that fetuses that are exposed to symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis while still in the womb, may have a higher risk of developing a high sensitivity to certain chronic conditions.

In a study recently published by the Arthritis Care and Research Journal, researchers reviewed 2100 Danish children born to mothers with rheumatoid arthritis between 1989 and 2013. The study found that children of mothers who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis during their pregnancy were at a higher risk of chronic disease compared to children of mothers who did not suffer from rheumatoid arthritis. The researchers focused on 15 kinds of diseases, including epilepsy, asthma, and other diseases that are chronic in nature.  The most severe risks seemed to involve chronic conditions like rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, thyroid conditions, asthma, and anxiety.

Symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis typically begin in the joints, and spread around the body. A person who suffers from rheumatoid arthritis may suffer from inflammation, swelling and pain in the knees, hips, joints, feet, shoulders and hands. Other symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, tiredness, and fevers. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis may find that their joints become deformed over a period of time.

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Fibromyalgia is a condition that is characterized by chronic body pain.  It is often a misunderstood condition that can have a serous impact on a person’s life. There are some triggers that seem to contribute to a stronger risk of fibromyalgia. For instance, stress and anxiety are strongly linked with the condition.

The person may also be constantly fatigued, and parts of the body may be very tender to touch. Any kind of stress associated with a physical or emotional cause can trigger fibromyalgia. Injuries suffered in an accident, for instance, or the kind of anxiety brought about by a life change like a divorce or death of a close one, are also associated with the condition. Workplace or occupational injuries can also trigger the condition.

Apart from these, there are very few risk factors that are associated with fibromyalgia, although women seem to be much more susceptible to fibromyalgia than men. Diagnosis of the condition is often delayed because of the failure by medical research to identify any strong and clear-cut cause of fibromyalgia.

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Women who use a commonly-prescribed multiple sclerosis drug for treatment of their symptoms may find complications arising when they choose to stop the drug before conceiving, or continue to take the drug during their pregnancy.

A team of Italian researchers recently found a number of reproductive hazards involving Natalizumab , a drug that is commonly used to treat symptoms of multiple sclerosis. This is an extremely potent drug, and according to the Italian researchers, there are several reproductive challenges facing women who try to get pregnant while on the medication.

Women who take the drug to manage their symptoms have a much higher chance of suffering a relapse of their symptoms during their pregnancy, if they cease taking Natalizumab before they conceive. However, if the woman continues to take it even after conceiving, then there’s a serious risk to the health of the fetus. The researchers found that continuing to take the drug after conception, was associated with a much higher risk of a miscarriage. Even in those cases in which the pregnancy was carried to full term, the drug was associated with a much higher risk of a lower birth weight, or a shorter length.

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